hut; cabin; small theatre (theater); temporary playhouse; one's own house
showing no signs of; there being no hint of; (arch.) unthinkable
keen eye; sharp eye; keen insight; keen perception
lungs; bottom of one's heart; vital point
to gouge; to hollow out; to greatly perturb; to cause emotional pain; to get to the bottom of things; to relentlessly bring the truth to light
to kick down; to oust (a rival) to advance oneself; to push (someone) aside to get ahead
to supplant; to supersede; to replace; to take the place of
(moral) backbone; spirit; soul; grit
half-hearted reply; vague answer; reluctant answer
desirable; hoped for; preferable; advisable
once in a lifetime; the first and last occurrence (event, experience) of one's lifetime
do-or-die game; crucial contest
slight; light; thin; faint; dim
bet; wager; stake; gamble
almost (did); nearly (did)
indifferent; unconcerned; nonchalant; unmindful; inattentive; careless
to pin down; to knock down; to push (and hold) someone down (esp. with sexual connotations)
to beat to death; to club to death; to kill
to trample; to crush underfoot
cheerful; buoyant; lighthearted
longitudinal direction; vertical direction; portrait orientation
to threaten; to menace; to intimidate; to startle; to frighten; to scare
suitable; appropriate; becoming; fitting
derailment; digression; deviation
to have something on one's mind; to have (undisclosed) reservations; to feel conflicted
century; hundred years; (fig.) a long time
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; by the way
substance; essence; substantive; substantial; in essence; in effect
to lean (on, against); to rest (against); to recline; to rely on (someone); to depend on
kernel; core; nucleus; center; centre
irritating; impatient; annoying; frustrating; vexing
being in abstraction; being dazed; being absentminded; stargazing
to pass by; to go past; to go to extremes; to overdo it; to go too far
chill; the shivers; shivering fit
to boil up; to come to the boil; to arise; to break out; to get excited; to be in uproar
since; for the past ... (e.g. ten years); this person; this gentleman
sharp-eyed; keen-eyed; easily awakened
to take seriously; to take someone at their word; to believe (to be true)
several steps; much (better, higher, etc.); several cuts (above)